Category Archives: Sweet Potatoes

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Have you resolved to eat more meatless meals this year? We’ve got some healthy vegan recipes to keep you on track starring our favorite veggie: the potato!

More and more people are eating vegan or vegetarian meals in an effort to stay healthy, but if you’re not used to eating this way it can seem difficult and less than exciting. The trick to making plant-based food delicious is finding vegan recipes that are filling and easy to make without sacrificing healthiness.

A whole food vegan or vegetarian diet can be a lot healthier than the Standard American Diet, because you’re skipping the saturated animal fats in favor of healthy fruits and vegetables. And potatoes are a great way to make a vegetarian or vegan dish filling without sacrificing any of the health benefits! One filling, medium potato with the skin on has:

only 110 calories

0g fat, saturated fat, and trans fat

zero cholesterol and no sodium

4g of protein

8% of your daily fiber, which may help control body weight

Not too shabby for one little spud! On top of all that, potatoes are just plain delicious.

Beyond Vegan Recipes: Kitchen Essentials

You probably have most of the tools and ingredients that you need for these vegan recipes right in your kitchen. We want to set you up for success, so here’s a checklist of some food items and cooking tools that are handy for making vegan recipes:

Non-dairy milk – We recommend plain soy or almond milk, because both work well in place of dairy in any recipe that calls for cow’s milk.

Nutritional yeast – This is different from the yeast you use to make bread rise. Nutritional yeast is available online or in the bulk bin at health food stores, and it gives food a mellow, cheesy flavor.

Vegan margarine or coconut oil – Smart Balance Light and Earth Balance are good options for vegan margarines. If you’re using coconut oil, choose the refined sort, because it doesn’t have a coconut flavor

Flax meal – Ground flax seeds are a great source of omega 3s and work as a binder in place of eggs for baked goods and patties. 1 tablespoon flax + 1/4 cup water = 1 “egg”

Raw cashews – Raw cashews are the secret to creamy vegan sauces. You’ll want to soak them for 4-6 hours, then drain before blending to get the smoothest puree.

Blender or food processor – Sauces and soups come together quickly in the blender.

Crock pot – Set it and forget it for easy vegan recipes.

Rice cooker – This is optional, but you can use a rice cooker for cooking rice and other whole grains (like quinoa or barley). Unlike on the stove top, a rice cooker yields the perfect cooked grain every time.

10 Healthy Vegan Recipes for the New Year

Got your supplies in order? Here are 10 vegan recipes to get you started.

Another filling side dish, you can use any light-tasting oil like safflower in place of grapeseed, but the soaked raw cashews are one place where you should not skimp. Image credit: Edible Perspective.

These baked sweet potato skins are a healthier take on a traditional sweet potato casserole. Most sweet potato casseroles use peeled sweets and plenty of butter. Our Thanksgiving recipe is lower in fat, but just as satisfying. The best part? Unlike most sweet potato casserole recipes, this one uses healthy sweet potato skins. Why does saving the skins make this recipe healthier? There’s a lot of nutritional value in those skins, so when you can, leave ’em on, and eat ’em up!

One sweet potato with the skin on is a tasty treat that’s packed with nutrition. It’s got four grams of fiber, two grams of protein, and over 400 percent of your daily value for vitamin A. Not too shabby for a little orange spud! Your family will love these single-serving stuffed sweet potatoes so much that they won’t even notice that you snuck a healthy Thanksgiving recipe into the spread.

Don’t you love fall flavors? Spicy ginger, rich sage, and other strong spices make fall food that much more comforting.

What’s great about adding bold seasonings to your cooking is that the more you season the less you need to rely on salt to make your food taste good. In fact, many of those pre-made salt substitutes are simply herb blends that flavor your food with herbs and spices instead of sodium.

Pairing those strong flavors with potatoes is a natural fit, since potatoes are also naturally salt free. Some fall flavors go best with white potatoes, and others taste best with sweet potatoes. We’ve pulled together some side dishes and entree ideas for you that use autumn herbs and spices.

Fall Flavors: Ginger

Spicy ginger pairs beautifully with sweet potatoes. The sweetness from the potatoes helps take the edge off of the ginger’s spiciness, so don’t fear the ginger if you’re not a spicy food fan. Here are a couple of recipe ideas centered around ginger.

Fall Flavors: Turmeric

Turmeric is another Indian spice, and it’s loaded with health benefits. It’s a close relative to saffron but much less expensive. It can be a little bit more bitter, so start with a little turmeric and add more as you get used to cooking with this vibrant yellow spice.

Are you ready for fall? We’ve got some fall recipes to warm you up from the inside out!

When there’s a nip in the air, nothing hits the spot like good, old-fashioned comfort food. A steaming bowl of chili, soup, or stew hot off the stove is just the thing when fall weather rolls in, and nothing says comfort like a hearty potato.

Potatoes aren’t just filling comfort food – they’re a family-friendly way to get your kids eating healthy food in these colder months.

When it gets chilly, we tend to eat heavier foods, and a potato is a great way to make foods satisfying without adding any fat or a lot of calories. One medium potato has just 110 calories and is naturally fat free, so you can add potatoes to your family’s fall recipes without feeling guilty.

Fall Recipes: Soups

Colcannon Chowder – Colcannon is a simple, creamy Irish soup made with potatoes, cabbage, and sausage. Our lightened up version uses turkey sausage and reduced fat milk to make this classic soup healthier for your family.

Lightened Up Loaded Baked Potato Soup – Your family will never guess that instead of heavy cream, this soup gets its creaminess from pureed potatoes. It’s rich, creamy, and stick-to-your-ribs good.

Fall Recipes: Stews

Peppers and Potato Stew – This is a traditional Italian dish: peperonata di patate. This stew simmers for an hour before it’s ready, but you don’t have to stand over the stove while it cooks. Just check in occasionally to give it a stir. Image Credit: Cooking Channel.

Fall Recipes: Cornbread and Garlic Bread

Does chili, soup, or stew not feel like a meal on its own? Throw a basket of cornbread or garlic bread on the table, and your family will thank you!

Dairy Free Cornbread – This is a sweet cornbread that goes great with chili or with the white bean and potato stew listed above. Pass butter or margarine alongside for spreading.

Garlic Bread – Garlic bread would go well with any of the recipes listed above, and this recipe doesn’t require any baking. Just spread a garlic-butter mixture onto slices of French of Italian bread, and pop in the oven 10 minutes before you’re planning to have supper on the table.

Do you have any favorite fall recipes? Tell us about your favorite cool-weather supper ideas in the comments!

Celebrate the start of football season and National Chicken Month with some simple game day snacks.

Is there anything sweeter than the start of football season? What if we told you that not only are your favorite teams kicking off on the field, but that September is also National Chicken Month? Can you say “delicious game day snacks?”

Potatoes a delicious addition to your game day snacks spread, and they’re easy to prepare, so you can spend your day enjoying the big game, not on food preparation. Baking a potato in the oven takes around 45 minutes, but you can bake up a farm fresh PotatOH in just 4-7 minutes in the microwave to save yourself time for what’s really important here: FOOTBALL!

Potatoes and chicken go hand in wing, don’t they? From loaded tater skins to potato and chicken soft tacos, there are endless delicious ways to team up these all star foods on game day. We’ve rounded up some of the best game day finger foods for your next football get together. Enjoy!

Need some quick and easy back to school recipes? We’ve got healthy, tasty snack and packed lunch options that your kids will love.

It’s about time to send those kiddos back to school, and all of that learning sure works up an appetite. Do your little ones come home with a big appetite? Whether you’re looking for a snack or a filling lunch to pack potatoes can help keep your kids happy, healthy, and full of energy for those long days in school.

Potatoes get a bad rep, but they’re actually good for kids if you use healthy preparation methods like microwaving, baking, or even grilling. They’re packed full of healthy carbohydrates – the stuff that your brain needs to function. A medium skin-on potato also provides a healthy dose of nutrients like vitamin C and potassium to keep your kids healthy. It’s also got 2 grams of fiber, which helps your kids feel full longer, so they can focus on school and homework.

The best part? Potatoes make a nutritious addition to lunch or snack time that your kids will actually eat. Check out these back to school recipes for packed lunches and after school snacks!

Packed Potato Lunches

Packing your child’s lunch the night before can help you save time in the mornings. These are some easy lunch recipes that travel well.

Chili Lime Chicken Potato Tacos – To keep these from getting soggy, pack the filling and the taco shells separately, and let your child assemble them at lunch time. They’re lunch and an activity in one!

Cheese and Trees Potato Soup – When the weather starts to get cooler, send your kid to school with a thermos brimming with warm, hearty soup.

Bacon and Chive Potato Pancakes – You can pack these alone or in a container with greens. If you pack them solo, include some unsweetened applesauce for dipping to sneak in a serving of fruit.

Potato and Vegetable Stacks – These are a fun alternative to a sandwich that lets you sneak some healthy veggies into your kid’s lunch. Just pack extra dressing in a well-sealed container. You can use more of the Italian dressing from the recipe or try ranch.

After School Potato Snacks

The kids are always hungry when they come home from school. These simple recipes will tide them over until supper time.

Grilled Potato Dippers – Here’s a trade secret: if you don’t want to bust out the grill, you can skip that step and just microwave the potatoes before you slice ’em. Your kids will have so much fun with the dipping sauces, they’ll never notice the difference!

This back to school recipe makes a healthy school lunch snack with just a few minutes of prep work.

Many school lunch snacks that kids grab are not the healthiest: sugary snacks like cookies and candy might fill your kid up, but you’re in for a sugar crash and a tough evening. Next time your kids need a snack for lunch while at school, try this recipe starring sweet potatoes to satisfy that sweet tooth without so much processed sugar.

Sweet potatoes give your kids a dose of vitamins and fiber to boost their energy for long school days. One medium sweet potato gives your children 30 percent of their daily dose of vitamin C and 4 grams of filling dietary fiber to keep them full until supper time [source: Nutrition Data]. Not too shabby for one tasty orange spud!

These sweet potato bites are a little bit sweet, a little bit salty, and sure to be a hit with your kids. Think of them as a lighter version of potato skins!

Gluten in a salad? Yep! Those innocent croutons and bottled salad dressings often contain gluten ingredients, and that’s no good if you’re allergic or sensitive to gluten. We’ve got some easy, delicious gluten free summer salads to keep you eating healthy all summer long.

Here at Farm Fresh Direct, we love a big, hearty meal, but in the middle of a scorcher of a summer, sometimes a salad is just the thing to fill you up without heating up the house. Besides, who says a salad can’t be hearty?

Potatoes are the perfect addition to your summer salad to transform a bowl of greens into a filling dish. And the best part? Unlike croutons or bread sticks, potatoes are a naturally gluten free food. They’ve also got 8% of your daily fiber, and dietary fiber helps you feel full longer without so many extra calories.

2. Mediterranean Sun-Kissed Savory Salad

Filling potatoes tossed with fresh veggies and some tasty feta cheese? Yes, please! This salad is perfect for summertime, and all of the ingredients in this salad are naturally gluten free, and it’s filling enough to be a meal all on its own.

3. Three-Potato Salad with Arugula

Who says that gluten free eating has to be boring? This three-potato salad combines sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and purple potatoes to make a hearty party in your mouth. Serve it up on a bed of tangy arugula for a gluten free feast. Image Source: Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

4. Sweet Potato & Kale Salad with Pineapple

Savory greens and sweet pineapple pair up perfectly with plenty of chopped sweet potato. You can eat this colorful, gluten free salad as a main dish or serve it as a side. It’s great alongside grilled chicken or a grilled portobello mushroom.

5. Warm Spinach Salad with Sweet Potato

Not crazy for kale? Eat your greens with this filling spinach salad instead. This is another recipe that calls for mustard. Most mustard is already gluten free, but if you want to be 100% sure, click here for a list of gluten free mustards. Image Source: Amandeleine.

6. Warm Honey Mustard Potato Salad with Green Beans

This salad features seasonal green beans tossed with potatoes in a sweet and tangy gluten free dressing. Serve this as a side dish with chicken, fish, or beef. See the note in the previous recipe about choosing a gluten free mustard.

July 4th is on Thursday, and that means firing up the grill! We’ve been talking about grilling a lot around here lately, but what fun is summer if you don’t cook lots of food outside over an open flame? No fun, that’s what!

This Independence Day, treat yourself to an grilled feast with plenty of healthy, hearty potatoes. Not only do potatoes bring a healthy dose of vitamin C to the table, but they’re a budget-friendly vegetable to flesh out your July 4th menu. That’s important if you’re planning a big ol’ cookout!

Also, remember that PotatOHs are a great shortcut to getting your potatoes ready for grilling. Throw them in the microwave and they’ll be cooked in just 4-7 minutes, cutting down grilling time and letting you enjoy more time with friends and family.

We’ve rounded up some of our favorite potato sides, so no matter if you’re grilling a meat or veggie dish, there’s a great potato recipe to go with it. Enjoy!

Steak or Pork

Balance out that heavy sirloin or pork chop with some lighter side dishes. Here are a few to try:

These simple summer soups are as easy to make as they are delicious and healthy.

If you’ve never had a good, cold soup, the idea of slurping up chilled spoonfuls of broth might not sound too appealing, but cold soups can be a delicious addition to any light summer meal. During the steamy summer months when even the thought of eating anything hot can be just too much, a simple cold soup can even be a meal on its own with some crusty bread or a salad on the side.

You might wonder what potatoes have to do with cold summer soups. Potatoes actually make a creamy soup base that’s just as tasty chilled as it is hot. We’ve rounded up some crowd-pleassing summer soup recipes for you right here!

This is a fruitier spin on the traditonal Spanish soup. It uses all fruits that are in season right now: tomatoes, watermelon, and cucumber. You can make this dish a day in advance, so if you’re planning a cookout or summer garden party it’s a great time-saver.

Vichyssoise might sound pretty hoity toity, but this French soup couldn’t be simpler. It’s simply a pureed soup made with lots of good stuff: potatoes, leeks, and (of course!) heavy cream. It is French, after all!

This bright orange soup is rich, creamy, and satisfying, and the toasted breadcrumbs give it just the right amount of crunch. Make it a meal with some Irish potato cakes with sour cream sauce on the side.

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Recent Comments

MJsays: "These recipes look great, but for the lazy person, I'm going to add my own. It is the stuffed baked potato.
Bake your potato until it is soft, using the oven or microwave.
Cut in half, and scoop out the middle and mash it. Add in about 1 teaspoon of prepared mustard and mash again. It should have a smoother texture. Stuff back into the potato shells. Sprinkle with paprika. If you are doing several, you may wish to re-heat. Voila. Totally simple. Now, I am going to experiment with adding nutritional yeast and soymilk, to see if it comes out a bit cheesy. So pleased to see these recipes."

PotatOHsays: "Susan: that's wonderful! Thank you for your insightful comment and we are so glad that you enjoyed our PotatOHs!"

Susan Hendersonsays: "I love your products. I am a Vegan and potatoes are a wonderful part of my diet. I also find that the growth and harvest of this healthy root crop is actually beneficial to the planet! I won a box of your potatoes last year and used them to the fullest. Thank you, Susan Henderson"

Dorian Shafersays: "I love potatoes & will never stop eating them. There great for lunch, i pop one in microwave. Baked are my ultimate favorite & yes i eat the skin. Red i don't peel for anything. There amazing by themselves. Potatoes are a great source of energy & great anytime !"